PIC Microcontroller Project Book: A True Beginner's Guide to the Popular PIC Microcontroller

I teach microcontrollers at a well-known university, using the PIC 16F84. My course is in the sophomore year, so I need a book that assumes very little previous knowledge and experience. This book does a nice job of explaining the basic functioning of the PIC's hardware. The programming language used is a version of BASIC, which my students have already studied. The use of the PICBasic compiler and EPIC programmer are explained extremely well. The book contains 12 projects to build, starting from simple flashing LEDs, and moving on into motor control, LCDs, A/D conversions and serial communications. All projects are explained step-by-step and are illustrated with clear schematics and photos. Material costs are minimal. For all these reasons, John Iovine's book is the ONLY book I recommend for beginners. If you have a beginner's knowledge of electronics and have done some BASIC-language programming, this book will give you a solid foundation in the PIC microcontroller.

The PIC microcontroller Project Book is one of those books that stem from the rising populairity of robotics. This book is intended for the true beginner in any field that comes with building a PICcontrolled device. Basic issue's, like how to install software on a PC, how does a breadboard look like, what are electrical symbols and where to obtain the nessesary hardware are explained in great detail. With the subtitle "A true biginners Guide To the Populair Pic microcontroler" in mind the author gives us a electrical schematic, a drawing and a photograph of the breadboard of the first project, winking LED's. After this intro, the author lays out the PIC architecture, like the TRIS and port registers, the binairy calculation, reading i/o lines and the pokes and peeks of Basic - the language used to program the PIC. Once mastered this section, one of the twelve step-by-step-projects can be build. These involve for example the making of a speechsynthesizer, controlling DC stepper and Servomotors, LCD displays, reading sensors and there's even a trackerdevice that applies fuzzy logic to track light.Overall this book has a clear audience and a clear idea. The information is well structured and well edited. The layout is good, although there isn't much need for this book as a referenceguide. The author succeeded in making a very solid entrylevel book for the absolute beginner.

I read the PIC microcontroller book by John Iovine and found it very useful. I must comment on the vindictive and false review by the anonymous reader from Chandler, AZ.Anonymous' statement that the book is just a cataloge for Images Company is false. McGraw-Hill would not jeopardize its reputation by publishing a catalog and promote it as a project book. The author does reference Images Company as anonymous stated, but anonymous fails to mention that Jameco (James), JDR and Radio Shack are referenced as well.Anonymous' statement "be prepared to pay 600% over..." is misleading. Penny parts (resistors, caps, crystals, etc.) do cost more. A capacitor may cost 14 cents instead of 2 cents, a difference of 12 cents. To use that 12 cents to make a sweeping statement that "just about everything" is 600% more is misleading and unjust. The reality is that all major components outlined in the book, the PICBasic Compiler ($99.95), Epic board ($59.95) and the PIC 16F84 (6.95) cost the same from all distributors, including Images Co.Nowhere in anonymous' review is any reference to the book's content, which is quite good. Chandler AZ, in desperation to say something derogatory makes a comment on the page copunt. If Chandler AZ is so distressed with John Iovine's books, why does he keep buying them? This is suppose to be an open forum for reader reviews, not a personal vendetta against the author by someone cowardly hiding anonymously behind a facade of honest opinion. The only person left feeling cheated is anyone who puts any worth in Chandler, AZ misleading and flaccid review.

This is a good book for both beginners and intermediate readers alike. It guides you through the installation of the PICBasic software and your first project with detailed explanations and pictures. There are many useful projects in this book (such as a speech synthesizer, fuzzy logic, servo motor control, interfacing LCDs and a/d conversion), but you are not limited to those because once you have read it, you will be able to come up with your own unique uses for PICs.The chapters are nicely laid out, the text is clear and generally concise without getting into too much technical jargon, and the diagrams are very helpful. My only gripe is with the coding style, specificly the lack of indentation, which doesn't affect the program but helps when you have to go back and debug something. However, overall it's a great book to help get you started in PICBasic programming.

I read this book and found it very useful. The explanations, from program installation to actual PIC programming, is given in detail. The PIC Basic language is powerful and makes it easy to program PIC microcontrollers. The author stays focused on the PIC 16F84. The book projects are good; analog to digital converters, serial communication, LCD displays, neural circuits, servo motor controls, etc. I was able to build these projects and get them up and running. This is no small feat for me. I think the book is an excellant value and am looking forward to the author's next book.